Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-07-04
Our Nations Anniversary.

0wr Nntton,s Anniversary.
To-day marks the one hundred anu
eleventh anniversary of the promuiga-
zion of the Declaration of Independence
Of these United States. This PERIOD
though long, when considered relatively
To = human career, is but a mere span
!. the life of a nation. The Fathers OF
the country laid the foundations OF our
institu tions deep and broad and strong
aud nothing but the madness OF change
or q universal falling away OF the people
from virtue can shorten the days OF the
Republic. In the ordinary course OF
events. our COVE rnment and our institu
tions ought to be perpetual. We have
little respect for the opinions OF tnose
who see national ruin in every abnor'
NAL convulsion. As the evils that grow
up in our system become formidable, the
people will grapple with and reform
them. Great abuses are long tolerated
by strong government. Indeed abuses
are inseparable from free government
based upon the general franchise. But
ss soon as abuses become serious, and as
sumo phase that threatens the per-
petuity of our system. the dormant
lion of patriotism will rise in his ma
jesty, and sweep them away. Some
marrow observers pretend to see already
the symptoms of decay in our political
fabric. These have studied our
polity and the real character OF
our people to little purpose. They
remind us of DR.. Sangrado, who
treated every patient alike. and killed
them with blood-letting, when gentle
pureative would have brought them
back to their pristine health. The
dangerous symptoms which these people
affect to discover in every little eoullition
are the mere rash and boils of the body.
polite. They break out and slough oil
the vicious matter which might do harm
If left to tester within. To treat these
external pimples as alarming SYMPTOMS
of internal national diseases requiring
heroic remedies, is Ike the man in the
fable who, in order to kill the hy on
the sleeper's face, crushed the insect
and the sleeper's head at the
.ame time with huge boulder.
"Suficient for the day is the
evil thereof" As dangerous symptoms
develop, we shall know how to eradicate
them. The machinery OF our political
system may, like the mills of the gods
work slow; but it will work effectively
when it is necessary to put it in motion.
We have no fear that our Institutions
are so inherently weak that they are
placed in peril by every little social or
political irruption.
The day we celebrate is one of the
surest guarantees we have OF the perpe-
tuity OF our system. 1t serves to bring
our whole people, as it were. back to
first principles once year. 1t reminds
them through how much toll, how much
suffering. how much peril and blood
shed the men who founded.this Republic
reached the glorious consummation
Of their hopes. 1t tells US of the price
less value of freedom, and causes us to
ponder seriously upon the deep under.
lying principles of our government. 1t
gives us-as Therm opyla, Salamis and
Marathon gave to the Greeks-a season
devoted to patriotic memories. The
American Revolution is the polar star
of our history, and the Fourth OF July
serves once year as the day upon
which we regulate the compass OF our
ship of state to its unerring guidance.
If the observance of this day should fall
into desuetude, then, indeed, should we
feel alarmed. Patriotism, like love,
cannot become cold without danger
to the object of the dying sen.
timent. The teachings of this day are the
yearly.recuring lessons to the people in
the fundamental principles of our sys.
tenn. The youth are animated with
higher aspiration and love of country;
the full-grown are fresh fred with senti.
ments of devotion to the institutions
they had never ceased to revere. The
whole broad land is re-bsptized on every
national anniversary with the pure
waters of a rejuvenating patriotism. As
long as the memories which this day
bring up shall quicken the public pulse
and inspire the public mind with lofty
appreciation of the value of our free
institutions, SO long shall the system OF
government which the Fathers of the
Republic left to their children not perish
from the face of the earth.